Automatic grain meter and register



(No Model.) 2 Sheets- 811091; L.

R. R. HOWELL.

AUTOMATIC GRAIN METER AND REGISTER.

Patented Nov.. 22, 1887.

amrgmhu, iwmf N. PLIERS. PholoLilhngr-lphen Washin aon. D. (L

(N 0 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

. R. R. HOWELL.

AUTOMATIC GRAIN METER AND REGISTER. No. 373,662. Patented Nov. 22, 1887.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT E. HOWELL, or MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

AUTOMATIC GRAIN METER AND REGISTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 373,662, dated November 22, 1887.

Application filed October 28, 1886. Serial No. 217,396. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT R. HOWELL, of Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, haveinvented certain Improvements in Automatic Grain-Registers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in devices for measuring grain and registering the amount thereof,- and the objects that I have in view are to provide a machine through which the grain may be passed into bags or other receptacles, and that will deliver any desired amount into each bag alternately,and will register the number of bags that are filled.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following detailed description.

In the drawings which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved device. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a section on line X Xof Fig. 2. Figs. 4., 5, and 6 are details of the locking device. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the registering mechanism proper. Fig. 8 is a detail of the bag-holder,

2 represents the outer case of the machine,

, having an inlet-opening, 3, at the top and two discharge-openings, 4, at the bottom, one at either side of the center.

5 represents an oscillating frame or yoke extending across at the back of the machine and forward to the center on each side and pivoted at 6 to the case. Attached to and extending between the two ends of this frame,at or near the center of the machine and forward of the pivot 6, I place a shaft, 7, upon which is supported the measuring-wheel 8, which revolves freely thereon. This measuring-wheel is preferably divided into four compartments by suitable division-boards placed radially between the heads or ends of the wheel.

9 is a graduated scale-beam attached to one side of the frame 5 and extending horizontally outward from the said frame. An adjustable sliding weight, 10, is located upon this beam, and is arranged to be held in any required position by the thumb screw 11. The beam 9 is adj ustably attached to the frame 5 by bolts 12.

The beam may by this means be adjusted so that when the weight is at the zero-point the beam and grain-wheel will balance each other.

attached to the frame 2 by means of the spring 19. The upper end of the lever is preferably provided with a roll, 13, which bears upon the top of the bar 14. This bar 14 may have a slight depression at each end to receive the roll 13 and prevent it from being accidentally moved over the said bar. Y \Vhen the roll 13 is at one end of the incline, the corresponding end of the catch or stop 15 is forced down and brought in contact with one Of the divisionboards in the measuring-wheel. At the same time the latch 16 drops over the other side of the division-board,'and the measuring-wheel is thereby locked The distance from the shaft 20 to the space between either stop 15 and its co-operating latch 16 is less than one-half of the length of the portion of the circumference leased the weight of the grain, being greater upon one side of the center, will cause the wheel to revolve.

22 is a lug fastened to the outer end of the measuring-wheel and arranged to strike the lever 18 as the wheel is turned upon its axis and move it in one direction or the other. the wheel revolves to the right, the stop-lug 22 strikes the lever 18 and carries it over, mov* ing the roll 13011 the bar 14 and depressing the right-hand stop, 15, and latch 16 and raising the other stop and latch. Then the wheel is revolved to the left, the stop strikes the lever upon the opposite side, throws it to the left, and depresses the left-hand stop and latch and raises the other. This motion of the lever 18 also operates the tallying device, which consists of two or more sets of index-wheels, operated one from another in the ordinary manner, the first or units wheel being turned by a slide and pawl connected to the lever 18 by a suitable pin, 30, so that as the lever is moved to the right this wheel is turned one notch, and as the lever is turned to the left it is also turned one notch. This is accomplished by the slide being provided with two pawls, one connected upon one side of the ratchet-wheel and arranged to push the ratchet as the slide advances, and the other attached to the under side of the ratchet and arranged to pull the ratchet as the slide recedes. (See Fig. 7.)

23 is a stop which may be used when only three compartments are to be filled and discharged. A serrated plate, 24, is attached to the lever 26, which is located at the bottom of the machine at one side of the discharge-openings 4. The levers 26 are arranged to latch into a serrated guide, 27. The mouth of the bag is passed over a rigid plate, 32, upon the frame, and also over the plate 24. The lever is then thrown outward and the mouth of the bag is stretched and held firmly over the discharge-opening.

The operation is as follows: The measuringwheel being in the position shownin Fig. 1, the grain is fed into the hopper orinlet 3 until the weightinthecompartment counterbalances the weight upon the scale-beam, which has previously been set for the proper amount, when the measuring-wheel, is carried downward until the division-board is free from the stop 15, and asthe predominance of weight in the compartment is at one side of the center the wheel will be revolved, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, until the grain is discharged from the compartment into the bag or other receptacle. In the meantime, as the grain runs out of the compartment the wheel rises and the next division-board is brought in con tact with the latch 16, which is thereby raised, the edge of the board passes under the latch and strikes the stop or catch 15, the latch falls behind the board and locks the wheel until the next compartment is filled, and so 011 until the four compartments have been filled and emptied. This operation brings the stop 22 around to the opposite side of the lever 18, which it strikes and carries the lever with it to the position shown in Fig. 3, and by this movement of the lever the register is operated and the bag already filled is tallied. The roll 13 on the lever 18 is carried to the opposite end of the bar 14, and this depresses the opposite end of the catch 15 and causes it to engage the divisionboard upon that side of the machine. The predominance of weight in the compartment will now be upon the opposite side of the center,and the motion of the meastiring-wheel as it is filled will be reversed and it will turn in the direction denoted by the arrow in Fig. '3,and the discharge will be to the opposite opening or bag. While this operation is being carried on the attendant will have time to remove the bag already filled and replace it byanother. The operation during this revolution is precisely the same as the one described. Should it be desired to discharge only three of the compartmentsinto one bag, a pin may be inserted in the measuring-wheel at 23, which will act in place of the stop 22 in one direction and reverse the motion of the wheel and operate thetally. A pin could also be arranged to operate the register and reverse the wheel after two compartments have been filled and emptied, if it should be so desired. The sliding weight may be set at any desired point on the beam. The stop 17 on the pawl 16 projects over and rests upon the catch 15,

and when either end of the said catch is raised it will raise the pawl operating therewith, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The said pawls are, however, free to be raised independently of the catch and allow the division-boards to lift them and pass under their ends.

The details of construction of the registering mechanism may be Varied without departing from my invention. The casing is preferably. provided with an outward bulge at each side, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so that the grain slides freely from the compartment as soon as the wheel begins to turn. Otherwise a part of the grain might be carried beyond the discharge-opening.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, with the casinghaving the inlet-opening and the two exit-openings, of the revolving measuring-wheel having a series of compartments, the pivoted frame upon which said wheel is mounted, and reversing mechanism for reversing the movement of the wheel, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the casing having the inlet and the two exitopenings, of the re volving measuring-wheel having the series of compartments, the pivoted frame upon which said wheel is mounted, mechanism for reversing the movement of said wheel, and a' tallying mechanism operated by said reversing mechanism, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the pivoted frame 5 and the compartmcnt-whecl 8, mounted on said frame and provided with the lug 22, of the lever 18, carrying the roll 13, the shaft 20, the bar 14, and stops 15, secured to said bar, and the pivoted latches 16, all substantially as described.

4. The combination, with thctallying niech anism having the sliding plate and operatingand means for alternately raising and depresspawls, of the lever 18, having the pin 30, ening said stops, substantially as described. 10 gaging with said plate, and the revolving In testimony whereof I have hereunto set grain-Wheel having the lug 22, adapted to enmy hand this 20th day of October, 1886.

5 gage either side of said lever 18, substantially ROBERT R. HOWELL.

as described. In presence of- 5. The combination, with the revolving D. R. HOWELL,

wheel, of the stops 15, the pivoted latches 16, R. H. SANFORD. 

